Low Water Desert Color – It Works!

Published on: May 2, 2017 | Author: Marylee Pangman

Planning for a garden of color in dry and hot climates can be challenging. Especially if you prefer not being wedded to your container garden and the garden hose. Choosing low water bloomers will not only provide you with an easier solution other than cactus but will give you that desired living color focal point in your desert landscape all summer long.

Choose low water plants that require similar light and water and those that will do well in your hot climate.

Use quality potting soil that retains moisture AND drains well – I know it sounds like an oxymoron but it is true!
For a combination plantings, plan to use plants that grow into three different heights – tall, mid-range and trailing.
Plant early in the day and water your pot thoroughly after planting.
Keep the pot moist until you see new growth. Then you will want to water the pot every two to three days. Water until you see water coming out the bottom of the pot. Test the moisture level at the root level which with these plants should be down about 6-8 inches.

Be mindful of the moisture in the pot throughout the summer as the heat escalates.

Plants used in this combination include: (Clockwise from Back Left)

Gopher Plant (Euphorbia rigida)

Blood Flower (Asclepias currasavica) Of the Milkweed family, Monarch butterflies need to feed on milkweed plants as caterpillars and so do not be surprised if you find a Monarch chrysalis on this plant

Parrot’s Beak (Lotus berthelotii)

Lantana (Lantana camara)

Note – except for the Parrot’s Beak, the plants in this pot are critter resistant!

Favorite Desert Color Works in Pots Too

We see Bougainvillea all over our desert landscapes. With a larger number of patio homes, these large plants are often too unwieldy to support in the patio landscape. Desert Dwellers often ask about planting Bougainvillea in pots so they can enjoy them year-round in hot climates. However, Bougainvillea are seriously particular, so follow these tips to increase your chances of success!

Choose the right sized container. You need one at least 22” in height and diameter and one that is heavy with a wide bottom to reduce the risk of tipping. Be sure there are drainage holes in the pot.
Give bougainvillea plants well-drained soil. Bougainvillea does not require high quality soils. Use a garden soil that is coarser with organic material and even gravely as potting soil is too rich for these plants.
Do not disturb the roots when removing from the nursery can. Handle carefully, cutting the can away from the root ball rather than pulling the plant from the can.
Position the bougainvillea plant in the best place. Bougainvillea is a sun-lover and it will grow best in a full sun position, in the open, facing due south. Heat is not an issue for bougainvillea.
Water sparingly. Bougainvillea plants weaken with too much watering, ending up with heavy leaf growth in place of flowers
Prune. Bougainvillea plants are prolific growers and need good pruning to force blooming:
Wait for the first colorful bracts to form and fall off in spring
Once they fall, prune excess growth
Fertilize with a high phosphate fertilizer. This will cause new bloom on the shorter flowering spurs
Repeat during the flowering season as needed.

Categories: Potted Desert Blog | Tags: container garden, Desert Pots, dry climate, potted desert flowers | Comments: 6 Comments

4 Tips to a Stunning Winter Container Garden

Published on: January 23, 2017 | Author: Marylee Pangman

Are your winter desert gardens giving you a showcase?

As the desert moves into the second half of winter, your pots should be starting to really show off. In spite of the cold temperatures over the holidays, February’s potential warming will spur your seasonal annuals to bloom beautifully for you!

You may have heard me say this before New desert gardeners often say, “You can’t have flowers in the winter!” I always felt that statement was from their experience back home in cold winter country. I would also discover that they were trying to grow annuals that are not our winter flowers.

By the way, if you are looking for lists of flowers that do work in the harsh desert climate, check out my book, Getting Potted in the Desert.

Follow these tips to have a gorgeous riot of color the rest of the winter.

Cover your pots when there are forecasts for below freezing temperatures. You need to know your micro climates around your home. If you are in a cold pocket, you will need to cover even when the forecast is above 32.
Not sure of your temps? Pick up a digital thermometer with a readout memory at your local hardware store.
Be sure that the soil of ornamentals is damp before going into a freeze. Do not water succulents however.
Cover the plants/pots with frost cloth or blankets. Do not use towels or other materials that will become laden with water if it rains. Certainly, do not use plastic.
Remove cloths after temps rise above 40.
Fertilize your potted flowers and ornamentals every two weeks with a water soluble fertilizer dissolved in water. Spray both the plants and the soil with the nutrient rich mixture. Water with this deeply.
Deadhead spent flowers all the way back to the originating stem regularly.
Be sure your pots have enough water but are not saturated continually. Soil drying rates depend on:
- The size of your pots
- How much sun they receive
- Day and night temperatures
- Shade provided by the plants themselves keeping the soil cooler
- Windy days

You might need to monitor this on a regular basis. But if your pots are doing well with an abundance of flowers, just keep doing what you are doing.

Have realistic expectations. You need to be using the best plants and flowers for your climate and conditions.

Don’t expect plants like Vinca and Tomatoes to survive a cold winter.
Snapdragons and Petunias will stop blooming when it is really chilly.
Annuals considered to be hot climate winter performers may still freeze succumbing to the cold. Lobelia and Geraniums will be the first to go.

Take some time to devise the methods you need for your garden to become the envy of your neighbors.

Categories: Monthly To Do List, Potted Desert Blog | Tags: container garden, Desert Pots, dry climate | Comments: 3 Comments

Save Money with these 6 Tips for your Container Gardening Shopping

Published on: September 2, 2016 | Author: Marylee Pangman

Do you have a plan before you go flower shopping for your pots?

Marylee choosing flowers for her container gardens

Know your pots. (Sizes, color and sun/shade)
Know your desired color scheme
Grab a cart at the nursery and an empty flat or carton.
Place your selections on the flat and then step back and look at it.
Stare at it hard and long and be sure it sits right with you.
If something seems just not right, take out one plant. Look at color combinations, textures, and heights. Often you have too many small flowered plants with small leaves and that can complicate the arrangement.

A 24” pot with one central planting will need approximately fourteen (14) “4” inch” plants. If you select any gallon plants, they can replace 3-4 smaller ones. I urge you to use 4” plants and not six-packs. (Ask me why!)

Important: When you go shopping and bring your plants home, water them in well and plant as soon as possible – as in the same day. If you have to wait until the next morning, place them in the shade to rest until the morning.

Want more? Buy my book, “Getting Potted in the Desert” and become a member of the I Got Potted email list. Receive more information on potted gardens, roses, citrus trees delivered right to your inbox every month – Free!

Categories: Potted Desert Blog | Tags: container garden, dry climate, hot garden, Marylee Pangman | Comments: 2 Comments

Don’t neglect your hot garden now

Published on: August 29, 2016 | Author: Marylee Pangman

Did that headline make you feel guilty? I know it’s been/is hot, and humid in many areas and for some, monsoons have brought major rains. Who wants to go outside to do more than the absolutely necessary tasks?

Set out to accomplish these few manageable jobs and you will prepare your container garden to become a beautiful fall showcase as the nights begin to cool off. Trust me – I’ve been there.

Pre-Fall Tasks to Complete in the Next Couple Weeks

Water pots deeply if not getting ample rainfall.
Use a water soluble fertilizer every two weeks.
Pull all dead plants.
Towards the end of the month, cut back overgrown plants to new growth.
Check your geraniums to see if there is new growth. If so, cut back any dead wood to that point. Don’t overwater them but give a loud cheer!
Plan on planting some late season annuals when there is consistent afternoon cloud cover or nights get into the 70’s AND when the nurseries have suitable flowers.

Look for flowers from my shoulder season flower list in my book. “Getting Potted in the Desert"

If you don’t have a copy, order one today and have it before it is time to plan your fall and winter desert container garden.

Print and Kindle Editions available on Amazon.

I will be continuing to present my container garden classes at the Tucson Botanical Gardens – via WEBCAST.

Sign up just like you do for any classes and go to the Gardens. I will be live via the big screen!

Upcoming Schedule: Click on the link to go to the description page (be patient – loading can be a little slow.)

All classes are 1:00-2:30 pm AZ time

Thursday, Oct 20: A Flourishing Potted Garden – the 101 of Container Gardening in the Desert

Thursday, Oct. 27: Great Winter Potted Gardens

Thursday, Nov. 10: A Flourishing Potted Garden – the 101 of Container Gardening in the Desert

Thursday, Dec. 1: Container Gardens for the Holidays

Order your copy of Getting Potted in the Desert Today!

Receive additional in-depth updates – FREE and special prices on new products and services

by Marylee, The Desert’s Potted Garden Expert!

Categories: Monthly To Do List | Tags: container garden, Desert Pots, dry climate, dry garden, Marylee Pangman | Comments: 4 Comments

3 Conditions Where Hand Watering Your Hot Container Garden is the Right Choice

Published on: July 14, 2016 | Author: Marylee Pangman

You decide to do a couple pots. You know we need the soil and pots and plants. As our excitement about our project escalates, do we think about how to water them once they are in place?

In many climates, water is not often an issue. In cities like Seattle where there are 340 days of rain, potted gardens only need occasional supplemental water. However, as our climates continue to change with more and more areas experiencing drought conditions, we do need to consider how we are going to get the water to our containers.

You might be thinking to just use a watering can or a hose or possibly your existing or new irrigation system. Now I am not going to get into irrigating your pots in this post. That is a much larger subject than I am willing to tackle today. But I will leave you with the knowledge that 90% of the time when using irrigation, you need a dedicated valve and line to water pots correctly.

You might also have recently seen olla’s or glass balls that distribute water as the soil dries. I don’t have much personal experience with these. Having lived in the middle desert for 20 years I am somewhat leery of possible solutions where I cannot be sure that the water or moisture will be distributed throughout the full body of soil. I understand that this method is based on old ways of ‘the early days’ of gardening for food.

Let’s move back to the original topic of when it is best to hand water.

Cacti and Succulents

When you are potting up cactus and other succulents, hand watering is definitely the way to go. The frequency of water needed depends on the specific plant, the size of the pot and the amount of sun it receives every day. A basic guide is to water cacti and succulents monthly during the cooler seasons and bi-weekly in hot months. It is best to err on too little water, not over-watering.

Ornamental Plants

For ornamental shrubs, trees, vegetables, herbs and flowers, I recommend hose watering rather than using a bucket or watering can. A hose with a good nozzle can provide a rain shower that is not only gentle in its application but thorough in distributing water to the entire soil bed.

Hand watering recommended for Container Gardens

Preventative Care

A hose nozzle also provides a jet spray which will improve plant health when used daily during hot spells to aerate the plant and send off any pests that are lurking in the cool shade of the leaves. The mist setting on the nozzle will provide cooling respite for hot afternoons when the soil itself has not dried out enough to need to water.

Watch for next Friday’s blog where I will talk about placing your pots to make watering easier.

Like this tip? Pick up your Free tips to container gardening success by clicking below.

Categories: Potted Desert Blog | Tags: container garden, Desert Pots, dry climate, dry garden, hot garden, Marylee Pangman | Comments: 2 Comments

July in your Hot, Dry Container Garden

Published on: July 8, 2016 | Author: Marylee Pangman

Think Positively – You Can Grow Beautiful Pots even in the hot summer

Want more tips in your email box? Sign up for free updates and receive your own copy of Top Tips to Successful Desert Pots.

To Do In Your Pots This Month

1. Garden and water in the very early mornings.

Who wants to be out in the heat?

2. Increase watering frequency to be sure pots don’t dry out.

You want your pots to be damp throughout.

3. Deadhead your spent flowers weekly to encourage new buds

Doing this weekly makes it be less of a chore.

4. Avoid pruning plants now that the desert has heated up.

Pruning now leads to sunburn by exposing previously shaded stems.

5. Keep up with bi-weekly pot fertilizing with a water-soluble fertilizer.

Be sure the soil is already damp before applying fertilizer.

Special notes on roses (From the Rose Society of Tucson)

Water, water, water:

As temperatures remain above 100 degrees, water potted roses daily.
New potted roses may need water twice a day
NEW RECOMMENDATION: Water late in the afternoon after 6 p.m. during this time of year which allows for less evaporation
Place potted roses in an area that gets afternoon shade

Spray off your roses daily with water: The No.1 enemy of roses during the summer in hot and dry climates are spider mites. Spider mites, which look like small salt-and-pepper particles under leaves, will suck the leaves dry until they turn light brown and fall off. Keeping as much foliage on your plants is crucial to rose health during the summer.Every morning, spray off your roses with a jet of water supplied by a nozzle attached to your water hose. YMake sure you spray underneath the leaves of the plant. By doing this daily, this will prevent spider mites from getting started. The added benefit is adding humidity to your garden which is vital in arid summer conditions.

Do not deadhead or remove dead leaves during the heat. Every bit of added shade helps.

Categories: Monthly To Do List | Tags: container garden, Desert Pots, dry climate, dry garden, Hot climate, hot garden, potted desert flowers, Roses, summer flowers | Comments: 6 Comments

“Back Home” Gardens Turn Into Desert Surprises

Published on: May 16, 2016 | Author: Marylee Pangman

Did you grow up in the desert? I didn’t and a huge number of people I have met over the last 20 years are not from the dry, hot climate we have come to love. We came from ‘up north’, ‘back east’ or ‘out west.’ We may have gardened easily in these regions with ample rain, plenty of sun, simple conditions. Except maybe for deer, that is.

Many transplanted gardeners yearn for their gardens from back home. Often we think – it’s just not possible to create the bountiful and joyful garden that we had in our milder climates; at least in the summer. Now, faced with the challenges of the desert, we might give up and not even bother once we see the thermometer hitting the 95^o mark.

Don’t Let Your Pots Go Empty All Summer

Today I want to give you permission to try something different. I want your pots to not only survive the desert heat but have gardens that thrive all summer long. Like something that you loved back home.

The opening photo is a bed of coleus. These wonderful, colorful leafy plants are being hybridized to handle increasingly hot climates. Some even can take a moderate amount of sun. I suggest you plant them when the nights are still slightly cool in order to become established before the heat sets in and be sure to choose a location that gets morning sun only and then providing them with ample water.

This second picture of coleus IS in full sun in the higher elevations of the mid-desert. Imagine how this mound of plantings shade its soil maintaining a cooler temperature for its roots.

The pot is about 28” in diameter and holds an abundant volume of soil that will insulate the roots. It is amazing that even in this all-day sun setting, it thrived!

In the low desert such as Palm Springs and Phoenix, I would advise you to place this pot where it will be in the shade by 10am.

In the high desert, plant coleus after all danger of frost is past and feel free to place in sunny locations.

Use the principles listed in the previous paragraph and the tips below to tempt fate with plants that you would love to try again. Don’t spend your entire savings on your first attempt though, work with only a few plants at a time. For instance, in this next photo is a bed of Marigolds. Experts have said; ‘Do not endeavor to grow Marigolds all summer in the desert.’

This photo was taken in Tucson, Arizona in August a few years back. The bed was planted with 4 inch transplants in the early spring in full sun. As the sun made its northern journey across the horizon, the bed was positioned so it was tucked into shade from the short wall behind it. With plenty of water and good air circulation, the marigolds thrived.

4 Tips to Stretch your “Back Home” plants into the Desert

Choose some of your most resilient favorites.
Plant early in the summer season. Best to plant in pots before the night temperatures consistently reach the 70’s.
Provide consistent and abundant water. (except succulents such as those that come from California)
Start small and gain experience.

Success takes three elements; the right spot with the right conditions, your love for the plants and a little amount of luck.

What plants from “back home” have you succeeded in planting, stretching the limits of your desert garden?

Categories: Potted Desert Blog | Tags: container garden, Desert Pots, potted desert flowers, summer flowers | Comments: 4 Comments

Potted Desert Garden Care in February

Published on: January 29, 2016 | Author: Marylee Pangman

How do you remember our winter so far this year? Rainy, chilly, downright cold?

Do not let a warm week in February allow you to think that winter is over. We can and most likely will have freezing temperatures this month and possible into March. Average last frost date is March 15 and remember – That is the AVERAGE!!! I just read that Chad Borseth from Native Seed Search and Facebook Group Tucson Backyard Gardening posted that he bases the last freeze being over by when his Mesquite tree blooms. Great tip from one of Tucson’s experts.

Potted Garden Tips for February:

Frosted or Frozen Plant Damage

Do not be tempted to prune back frost damaged plants yet.
We need to wait until the danger of frost is over (average date March 15)
Watch for a surprise frost and cover tender annuals.

Fertilize your citrus around Valentine’s Day

Water both the day before and immediately after applying granular fertilizers.
Use a granular fertilizer according to the directions on the package. Size and age of the trees determine how much fertilizer you use.
Fertilize mature trees away the trunk, meaning the outer two thirds of the ground of the leaf canopy where the most active roots are.
Give the trees a deep soaking watering after applying the fertilizer.
Newly planted trees do not need fertilizer the first 1-2 years after planting).
Note: Whether you use Ammonium Sulfate, Ammonium Phosphate or Citrus Food fertilizer it’s important to read instructions because the amount of fertilizer need per year will vary depending on the age, size, and type of citrus tree. For example, a medium-sized adult tree 5-6 years after planting needs 6.2 pounds of Ammonium Sulfate per year (split into three applications). Grapefruit trees 5 or more years after planting need half the amount for other citrus.
Source: Pima County Master Gardener Program
Continue to pick your citrus. You do not need to harvest all of the fruit just because the trees come into flower. Grapefruit and Valencia oranges will continue to sweeten while left on the trees.

Potted Plants

Continue your bi-weekly fertilizing routine.
Deadhead regularly and prune to shape plants.
Blast your plants with a jet spray from about 4 feet away to deter pests and disease.
Water potted cactus and succulents if you have not gotten ample rain. If you have registered an inch of rain in the last month, that is enough for now.

Roses (from the Rose Society of Tucson)

Complete all pruning of your roses by mid-February.
Once you’re done pruning, be sure to clean up all the old mulch and dead leaves and throw them in the trash, not your compost pile. Dead leaves can often have mildew spores and other diseases on them that can infest your compost pile and create problems later on.
Apply both a pesticide and a fungicide to your pruned roses and the soil in the pots. Fungus spores such as mildew can live through the winter in your soil.
Apply long-term or organic fertilizer, such as Max Magic Mix, Bandini Rose Food or homemade com-post. Also, it helps to add superphosphate at this time and apply a half cup of Epsom salts. Scratch it into the soil and water in.
Two weeks following the long-term fertilizing, begin your regular short-term or liquid fertilizing program using a water soluble fertilizer such as Rapid Gro or Miracle Gro.
Once growth appears, start in on your hose jet-spray regime to keep the aphids and mildew away.
Continue to water your roses. As daytime temperatures increase, increase your watering frequency making sure the pot drains with each watering.

Have a beautiful month! February and March are our spring months and we want to get out and enjoy our splendid winter gardens!

~ Marylee

Categories: Monthly To Do List, Potted Desert Blog | Tags: Citrus, container garden, desert roses, Marylee Pangman, potted desert plants winter care, potted roses, Roses | Comments: 4 Comments

December in your Desert Potted Garden

Published on: December 1, 2015 | Author: Marylee Pangman

Greetings All! Happy December!

As I sat down to write this month’s post, as often happens after Thanksgiving, I was a little uninspired. There are many things I rather be doing than gardening this month or even writing about gardening. When I get to this point of the year, I am often ready to take a break and just enjoy my garden, tending it a little and then getting on with the holidays! So I thought – that is OK! I am human, am I not? I can tell my gardening friends like it is and I would not be surprised if you don’t tell me you are feeling it too!

I have spent a lot of time this fall getting the word out on my book, Getting Potted in the Desert. It has been a blast and I cannot tell you how thrilled I am with the response I have received. I know it was a long time coming and I kept promising those in my classes that some day this information would be available in print/published form. I keep placing more orders for copies and will keep doing so until we get all desert dwellers potted!! I plan to get it on Amazon and in an e-book form after the holidays.

It’s not to late to order books now – for yourself or for a gift.

I am also planning many more workshops and book events the first half of 2016 – Check out the upcoming events page here on the website or if you are reading this via the blog, over to the right.

Here is a quote from one of our book purchasers:

I moved to Tucson a year and a half ago from the Seattle, Washington area. I needed to “re-learn” and adjust to many new gardening techniques in this Sonoran Desert climate. Marylee’s new book is a godsend. I now have a “to do” list for every month with the information I need to take care of my landscape and pots … as well as add new plants or dispose of ones I don’t want any longer. Thank You Marylee! Kathy P.

If you are so inclined to do some planting this month:

You might want to pick up some extra flowers to make your pots company ready. Or add an arrangement to your front door. Whatever whim you have, keep it simple and save your time and energy for other holiday preparations and definitely time to enjoy your friends and family.

Happy Holidays to you!

Keep everyone you love close – if not in person, than in your hearts.

Take time for each other and to smell the flowers!

Marylee

Categories: Monthly To Do List, Potted Desert Blog | Tags: No tags | Comments: No Comments